Dear john,

At 12:01 a.m. last Wednesday, Senate Democrats forced a government shutdown. Two weeks ago, House Republicans passed a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open. Simply put, we did our job. Senate Democrats refused to do theirs.

Why? Because Chuck Schumer and his caucus wanted to load a simple 24-page bill with a mountain of radical, America-last policies. Their demands are reckless, their priorities are misplaced, and hardworking American families are paying the price.

House Republicans stood firm. We voted to keep the government open, protect seniors, support our troops and veterans, and ensure critical services continue. Democrats voted to shut it down in order to bankroll illegal immigrants and expand wasteful spending.

What Democrats Demanded in Exchange for Keeping Government Open:

• $1.5 trillion in partisan spending for just seven weeks of funding.

• Restoring taxpayer-funded free health care for illegal aliens.

• Keeping able-bodied adults who refuse to work on taxpayer-funded health programs.

• Eliminating eligibility verification for Medicaid recipients.

• Permanently extending Biden’s COVID-era Obamacare subsidies.

• Slashing $50 billion in rural health care funding—crippling hospitals and clinics in vulnerable communities.

This is not governing. It is political theater at the expense of the American people. Democrats are holding the government hostage to appease the most extreme corner of their base, while veterans, seniors, and disaster relief programs are left hanging in the balance.

Republicans are fighting to put America First. Democrats are shutting down your government to put Americans last.